This Is VITAL For Straighter Shots, But No One Is Talking About It

[@digitalshapes9501]

Chris genuinely delighted you proved this once & for all. We have all heard in the “Modern Golf Swing”, your body rotation squares the club face. I think this idea started from the early days of the David Leadbetter video of the Dog Wags the tail, starting with the one piece move away where, yes during the first couple of feet there is no forearm rotation. Same may be partially correct with the movement to 4 o’clock where through this zone the hand movement is quite compared to a traditional flipping over rapid closing of the face through impact motion. Thank you so much for clearing this up once and for all. Even the very excellent Coach Carolin who I think is amazing gets this confused in one of her recent body rotation videos. She like you rotated her lead arm in her backswing (similar drill swinging the club at chest height) but then rotates all the way to face the target into a club toe up position. But my comment to her was there is no guarantee you have squared the club face by impact because she was missing the re-rotation of the lead arm. I have seen you and other excellent coaches managing this while still avoiding the old dreaded flipping motion by achieving a modern release pattern further onto the left side by having the trail / right arm remain slightly below the lead arm and partly folded with an element of rotating the lower trail forearm to square the face. What Pete Cowen refer to as “Spinning the trail forearm”. The other method / pattern which I know works is your Exit Left / Speed Boat method where as your body rotation leads the way and as your go into a posting up onto your lead leg, this pulls the handle up and left which helps to kick the club head out to the ball. So this movement pattern assists the re-rotation of the lead forearm into impact like your drill where you smash the impact bag demonstrates (effortless power video). I do think you are by far the best KZbin coach on the planet. Myles

[@jimmythorpe65]

Wow. Thank you! I’ve been trying to get this right for years and never had it explained to me this simply

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Thanks Jimmy

[@rayhuckell7263]

Love Your stuff Chris. I am an 88 year old former British PGA teacher. I always found pupils had trouble rotating lead arm. Simple solution. Pre rotate that arm almost 45 degrees . Then the rest of Your instructions work. Thanks.PS We do it with the trail arm at set up,in reverse of course.Ray

[@al1356]

Ray can you explain a little more please for us dummies at the back of the class?

[@LooseNewf]

Excellent lesson - I am a fan of Bob Toski and Leslie King who both wrote about how the body does NOT square the face and how to use your arms and hands to improve feel and shape shots. Old school....is where it's at! Tx C

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Agreed, great players all have great hands

[@TheChrishoughton]

Brilliant. The rotation makes a big difference, but also the cupping of the right wrist at impact and the transformation to the cupping of the left wrist on the follow through, is probably as important. Very informative videos. Timing is key and your lessons make sense.

[@daniyeespheej]

Thanks Chris you couldn't have explained it more simple enough and clear. The wrist tracker is very nice because it is data driven to show what your teaching. Subscribed.

[@mick19421]

Love the way you always find a solution to suit each individual. Could you do a video to show how to stop hitting irons 4-6 inches behind the ball, whatever I try doesn’t work.

[@baldurhermannsson9413]

The rotation of arms has always troubled me but I saw this lesson last night, implemented it's main point on the course today with great success, so thanks Chris ... thanks a lot!

[@glennbarry6327]

With all the teaching on the right arm, elbow and wrist positions, this lesson is an excellent reminder of the left arm and hand's vital role in squaring the club face. Great video!

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Thanks Glen, definitely more out there on the trail arm as you say

[@R3negad3BB01]

Thank you, Coach Chris, for another insightful lesson! Recently, I found that rotating both my forearms clockwise (lead arm: internal, trail arm: external) then setting the grip helps simplify bringing the club face back to square at impact. For a long time, I externally rotated my lead arm, which I feel made it difficult to make an on-plane takeaway, establish proper wrist hinge at the top, & keep it through impact. I'm a big fan of 'set it & forget it' where most of the swing is already programmed at set-up, & that has been working very well for me so far. Just wanted to ask for your take on this method in hopes of making the swing feel more natural & automatic.

[@andreysto1202]

Absolutely golden! Overlooked by most other coaches, true.

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Thanks 🙌

[@2BitCipher]

Love this lesson! I always leave my clubface open thinking that my body is in control of the clubface causing pushes and hooks. I will be working on this. Thank you!

[@jasonbourne488]

Chris, do you suggest this for all clubs? And for long shots vs. short shots? Thanks.

[@davidstevan1]

Hi Chris. Tanks for this, it puts to the sword the idea that the body squares the club face. I would also assert in calls into question club face condition at the top of the backswing - cupped (open), bowed (closed) or square (flat). Why? As soon as the left forearm starts to rotate in the backswing the face starts to open. That said, my question. How much left arm rotation is involved in chipping and could you demonstrate. I’ve tried to chip not allowing any forearm rotation and just a body turn but it doesn’t end well - lots of shanks!

[@Standupfortheuk]

Great stuff as usual 👍 can you do something on chunking I’m so frustrated with hitting behind the ball 😢. My shots are getting straight but this chunking is killing me 🫣 . Thanks for all your work 👍

[@nycabilifeisgreat9768]

Brilliant !

[@royclose946]

Well done Chris 👏 😊

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Thanks Roy

[@richardelgart8420]

Well, I was about to admonish you again about being left hand centric, but you rescued yourself by bringing up the right hand a fair amount in the second half of the video. A serious question: Does the hack motion device only work on the left hand? I have never once seen it demonstrated on the right hand in a KZbin video. I remain astounded as to why most instruction focuses more on the left hand, when most people are right handed. Thanks for listening. Another very useful video. P.S.- Padraig Harrington recently posted a similar drill with a “Goldilocks” approach (too much, too little, just right).

[@essoteric]

Another way to think about it is that you're hitting a top spin like in tennis with your trail hand. That rotates the forearms and the club face, and also helps to make a good release. Obviously the trick is that you have to match that with your body rotation or you'll be hitting snap hooks into the trees!

[@leemartin1122]

Like the way you explain this Chris. I think I struggle at times with the final piece tho. I seem to manage it well on say a 60 yard pitch, but if I'm hitting further (with more effort) I often hit out to the right so I'm guessing I'm either not rotating my wrist quickly enough (or I'm throwing my hip)?

[@jeffreybritton3338]

I was just playing with this. I can get to back swing parallel to the ground without rotating my forearm. Any further than that does require rotation. I will note that holding off the rotation isn’t real comfortable, but it’s probably fine for irons.

[@DenisAhmet]

Hi Chris, you are a superb coach, at the moment I watch your KZbin videos daily - I'm just getting back into golf after a 15 year break. My trouble is I can get the club face square to the ball at impact fairly consistently, but not the swing path. So the ball flight is straight, but the direction fluctuates. Lately I found if I try and keep the lead arm straight, through the back swings with a full swing, I get more consistency, but I don't know why. If I could understand why, then I would be able control all types of shots. Also I feel if I swing slower doing a full back swing with a straight leading arm in the back swing, which I assume is good. So It seems to me that the swing path and getting your club face square at impact is part of, if not all, to creating straighter shots. Perhaps you can link the two in a video, that would be awesome!

[@papasmurf7944]

Now write the process of putting one foot in front of the other. That's called walking!

[@brucedorr2180]

Chris, is there a way I can search for a specific lesson of yours.

[@humphreybarclay4983]

Very helpful

[@brad350]

Great lesson Chris! I’m guessing this is the same principle with the driver?

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

It is yes

[@MegaTubescreamer]

You`ve really isolated and concentrated on that single vital component chris, proving its importance , that`s the beauty of grasping one element at a time ,an absolutely sound teaching method, thankyou !👍

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Thanks so much 🙌

[@AndrewNGUYEN-lx5xi]

Should the rotation arms be different depending on strong or weak grip, Chris?

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

A touch yes, but the movement will still be the same just would need slightly different amounts

[@liamevans6354]

How are you suppose to keep the shaft forward through impact when your turning your arms over? Genuine question?

[@prisma6163]

Hi Chris, if the hands follow the body rotation to the left, then surely you square the club face on a neutral path. No?

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Not automatically, he arms rotate during the backswing so they have to do the opposite on the way down, the body turn helps a little but still plenty to do with the arms and hands to get it back to square

[@prisma6163]

@@ChrisRyanGolf Thanks for your reply. I accept that there is some rotation of the arms BUT it should be minimal. An example is that all arm rotation a golfer needs is enough to move the lifted arm from straight in front of you to a position in the middle of your shoulder and similarly on the other side. In any event I follow your channel and enjoy your thinking and guidance.

[@prisma6163]

@@ChrisRyanGolf I also think an interesting video would be where the different releases are explained and illustrated. In general I think golfers overemphasise the right hand crossing over the left when driving through the ball. A more neutral swing arch and through swing would be more beneficial to more such golfers. Your thoughts?

[@jeffberger7890]

I hear you saying forearm rotation has bigger impact on squaring face than wrist flexion/extension ?

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Wrist flexion can have a huge impact, but it can’t do it all on its own so it’s a compilation, but for most is will be the arm rotation

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Hi Chris, if all of that didn’t work for you then how are newbies or high handicap players going to implement it? I (as per other comments) understand what you are saying (as my hands work in the same way). Perhaps if you deleted those two final shots and replaced them with straight ones it would be easier for some to understand. Just a thought. Love your work. 👍😎

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Hey Marcus, it didn’t work for me because it doesn’t work for anyone all of the time, no golfer that’s ever lived delivers the face exactly where they want it every time, as outlined in this video it’s incredibly difficult to time and master. If I showed only straights shots that would possibly give a false view of what’s achievable, those shots were slightly out, but that’s golf, we work at it and strive to improve, but perfect is unrealistic

[@marcusgeorge1825]

@@ChrisRyanGolf Well said. After I posted my comment I was going to go back and edit it as you’re 100% correct. Appreciate the clarification. Keep up the great work you do. Love your 1 on 1 lessons as I find these the most useful for my game.

[@MrLuigiFercotti]

Been studying golfers and golf swing for 3 plus decades and every swing photo sequence or video of every pro I’ve seen shows a rapid left arm/wrist supination late in the downswing. Despite this an endless list of experts have said that it’s not necessary and some even call it flipping. Also, I played with a shut face (arched wrist) for a long time and realized that it reduces the amount of wrist cock and consequently power. Also, lowers ball flight and eventually gave me a nasty case of tendinitis on the outside of my left elbow.

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Absolutely, that move is happening pretty damn fast through the downswing Agreed about the flexed wrist too, definitely helps control the face but does limit range of motion

[@MJ-rt3bj]

You sir have answered an age old question with me, no wonder I couldn’t ever develop a consistent strike that had power?

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Glad I could help and hope it makes the difference 🙌

[@Ulster2]

Technology ( Trackman and Hack motion) now proving that professional instruction, with a few exceptions, was nowhere close to what happens in a golf swing. Honourable mention , Luther Blacklock has been on about the forearm roll for years. Thanks for posting this for absolute clarity on the forearm roll.

[@tjvbham5831]

Everyone on KZbin is using the Hack Motion to demonstrate hands and wrist movements in the golf swing. The major problem is that your average golfer doesn't have access to that technology and can't comprehend what much of it means. I believe it's accurate and probably very relevant, but it's just not understandable to most people.

[@joeluis98]

What happens after you spend whatever it cost to by the Hack Motion, and you fix your swing in let’s say 3 weeks? What do you do with it then? It will sit in your bag for a year or 2, until your swing goes bad. By then, a newer version will be out, and everyone will be pushing and marketing it. They’ll tell you that the new one will measure your heartbeat, or how tight your rectum gets before, during and after impact, so you must upgrade. 😂

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

agreed that the majority don’t have access which is why the skills that I advocate here don’t require the hack motion, I use that to help demonstrate what is happening through the swing and then show drills to help that, this drills do not require the HackMotion for that exact reason

[@tjvbham5831]

It's unnecessarily confusing. How did greats from Bobby Jones to Tiger Woods get it right without HackMotion? They were taught by natural feel and results, not confusing degrees and angles that aren't very relatable to the average person.

[@glennmcilroy]

All that the hack motion is doing is showing how the arm rotates, it is there to validate the reason why you need to rotate the arm back to square. Now you see this in the video you have to follow the drills, no need to go out and purchase a hack motion just make sure your hand hits your golf bag square on when doing the drill…. Simple

[@1snaj]

@@ChrisRyanGolfLittle late to the game today Chris I know it’s a month past…what are you gonna do ?? today’s technology is here now… thanks for implementing what it does and how it dissects wrist angle etc. I appreciate what you do

[@thedr8993]

Love everything you're showing here, but I'd say the only thing you leave out is that you have a fairly weak grip with your left hand which is why you can't square the face "with your body", due to the arm anatomy this also opens you up to more likely injuring your arm/ wrist. Not saying your way is wrong, just that you're leaving out a bit of the explanation as to why you have to square "with your hands" more.

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Yeah I definitely have a slightly weaker lead hand, but the info doesn’t change web with a stronger grip it ms the hands and arms that square the face, they would just have slightly less to do

[@thedr8993]

@ChrisRyanGolf thanks for the reply! It's a good point that the arm rotation would just be *less* as opposed to not at all. Love your content, keep up the great work, and look forward to more helpful tips from you!

[@DIOS10]

But I think you missed maybe the point where the forearms actually rotate back at a certain point in backswing ? I rotate , to me anyway, but constantly been told a bring the club on the inside. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and so it continues.

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Yes if you get a little above or below in either the backswing or the downswing then it would suggest you maybe have too much or too little rotation, but this video was more about the idea that the arms help square the face, swing shape would be a different topic imo

[@stephenbarr6558]

Does make sense, but looks like a lot of timing is involved, whether that’s a good thing or not I don’t know 🤷

[@ChrisRyanGolf]

Spot on it does require timing, unfortunately this is just one of the reasons why golf is super tough